On the Road to Becoming a Demon God: The Holy Grail War Is About to Begin / On the Road to Becoming a Demon God: The Prelude to the Holy Grail!

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I, Rin Tohsaka, on the Path to Becoming a Demon God—The Holy Grail War Was About to Begin

Time flew, and before long, it was late October 1994.

Tohsaka Estate.

Rin and Sakura strained as they pushed several enormous suitcases to the entrance.

With the Holy Grail War drawing near, Tokiomi Tohsaka had decided to send his wife and daughters back to the Zenchou family first. They would return after the Holy Grail War was over.

Rin and Sakura pushed the luggage beside another pile at the entrance. Rin took out a handkerchief and wiped Sakura's sweat, then looked toward the gate.

Just then, Kirei Kotomine entered through the gate. He stopped when he saw Rin and Sakura, a false smile appearing on his face.

"Rin, Sakura, good morning."

"Mm, good morning, Senior Brother."

"Kirei, you're here. Did Father call for you? Is it about that?"

"Yes. Master called me today to arrange his plan."

Rin nodded, stroking her cute chin with one hand and striking the pose of a detective deep in thought.

"Kirei, has your father prepared the Holy Relic?"

"It's ready."

"Good. Remember to summon the Queen according to the plan, then bring her to see me."

"Understood."

After finishing her conversation with Kirei Kotomine, Rin waved him off to find her father. She turned around, about to return with Sakura to move the luggage, when a voice suddenly sounded by her ear—a deeply magnetic female voice.

"Master, have you truly made up your mind to carry out this plan?"

"Caster, shut up! Otherwise, how do you think I summoned you without a Holy Relic?"

Sakura looked at Rin, who had suddenly fallen into a daze, in confusion. She stepped forward and gently tugged on Rin's sleeve.

"Big Sister, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing, Sakura. Caster was suddenly talking to me."

"Big Sister, are you really going to do this?"

"Of course, Sakura. Didn't I explain what would happen if we didn't do this?"

Sakura recalled the various discussions and deductions she had made with Rin before. She nodded hard, clenched her little fist resolutely, and stared at Rin with a serious expression.

"Big Sister, I understand. I'll do everything I can to help you complete your plan."

Rin happily pulled Sakura into a hug.

"It's wonderful to have your help. Thank you, Sakura."

Zenchou Villa, the Zenchou family's residence in the outskirts of Fuyuki City.

Rin and Sakura had been there with Aoi Tohsaka for some time. Their quiet and peaceful life was filled with happiness, but the Holy Grail War that was soon to begin would shatter all that tranquility.

"Kariya Matou, why are you here?"

Kariya Matou stood at the courtyard gate, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. He looked at Aoi Tohsaka—no, Aoi Zenchou—whom he missed day and night. She was playing in the yard with her two adorable daughters, and she seemed very surprised by his arrival.

Kariya Matou wore a bright smile as he spoke.

"Isn't the Holy Grail War about to begin? My family really doesn't have anyone suitable to be a Master, so the old man could only call me back."

"Uncle Kariya, are you going to participate in the Holy Grail War too?"

Kariya smiled and crouched down, looking at the adorable Rin before him as he slowly nodded.

"Uncle is going to participate in this Holy Grail War too."

When Rin heard Kariya Matou clearly state that he would be participating in the Holy Grail War, she found it strange. With Sakura not having been adopted into the Matou family, there was no reason for Kariya Matou to participate in this Holy Grail War. So why had he returned to take part?

Kariya Matou looked at Rin, who had fallen into thought, and awkwardly patted her head.

Then Kariya Matou stood up. After chatting with Sakura for a few more moments, he turned to Aoi Tohsaka. A complicated look showed in his eyes as he spoke.

"Aoi, seeing that you've stayed away from this Holy Grail War puts my mind at ease. I won't disturb you any longer. Farewell, Aoi."

Aoi Tohsaka nodded expressionlessly and watched Kariya Matou leave.

After walking some distance away, Kariya Matou forcibly restrained the urge to look back. His face twisted, his teeth grinding audibly. Zouken Matou, I will never—absolutely never—let you hurt Aoi, little Rin, or Sakura.

Night fell.

A huge full moon hung in the night sky, and an unusual atmosphere began to spread throughout Fuyuki City.

In the basement of the Tohsaka Estate, Tokiomi Tohsaka stared intently at the magecraft circle on the floor. He carefully took a box containing the oldest snakeskin from his pocket and placed it on the ground.

Risei Kirei, watching from the side, wore a conflicted expression. In the end, he could not help but speak.

"Tokiomi, are you really going to use this Holy Relic?"

"Risei, I believe it will bring me the trump card to victory. If I truly summon that one, then with Kirei's Queen of Assyria, victory will already be firmly in our hands."

Risei Kirei said nothing more. He simply waited quietly for the ritual to begin alongside his son.

The basement of the Matou Residence was as cold and gloomy as ever.

Kariya Matou stared at the magecraft circle on the ground. So this is the magecraft circle for a Servant summoning ritual? As long as I gain a Servant's power, I'll definitely be able to protect Aoi in this Holy Grail War. Just wait, old man.

Suddenly, the insects around him gathered together. Countless bugs writhed and surged, and before long, Zouken Matou's figure appeared in the basement.

"Kariya, are you truly prepared?"

"Of course, old man. With me here, don't even think about hurting Aoi and her daughters."

"Hehehe, Kariya, your skill as a Magus is completely insufficient. As you are now, I'm afraid you can only summon the weakest Servant."

"What do you want me to do?"

Zouken Matou took out a constantly wriggling insect from his sleeve and handed it to Kariya Matou.

"Hehe, take it. It can grant you the magical energy a Master should possess."

Without hesitation, Kariya Matou snatched the insect. The moment it touched his hand, it bit through his wrist and burrowed into his body. An immense, tearing pain swept through him. Kariya Matou clenched his teeth, his entire body trembling, yet he did not make a sound.

After only a few seconds, once Kariya Matou felt the insect latch onto his heart, the pain eased considerably. Soaked in sweat, Kariya Matou raised his head and stared directly at Zouken Matou.

"Old man, that should be enough, right? I guarantee I'll bring you the Holy Grail. You must never hurt Aoi and her daughters. Otherwise, I'll kill you even if it costs me everything."

"Hehehe, Kariya, of course. As long as you bring me the Holy Grail, I'll honor our agreement. But if you fail, Aoi and her daughters will become the Matou family's new breeding vessels. Hehehe!"

Zouken Matou looked at Kariya Matou, who had been driven mad by his words, and let out several cold chuckles. Kariya Matou, you are merely a pawn. Recalling the scene when Rin had used Witch-King Slayer, he gave a sinister laugh and spoke.

"Kariya, begin. But I need you to add two other verses to the chant."

Feeling wave after wave of pain throughout his body, Kariya Matou did not say anything else and merely nodded.

As the full moon rose to the very center of the sky.

The Tohsaka Estate, the outskirts of Fuyuki City, and the Matou Residence simultaneously erupted with massive storms of magical energy.

"Let silver and iron be the essence.

Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation.

Let my great Master, Schweinorg, be the ancestor.

Raise a wall against the wind that shall fall.

Close the four cardinal gates.

Come forth from the Crown, and follow the forked path leading to the Kingdom.

I hereby declare!

Let your body be under my command, and let my fate be with your sword.

Answer the summons of the Holy Grail. If you will submit to this will and this reason, then answer!

I swear here.

I shall accomplish all the good in the world. (Yet you shall blind your eyes and serve my body in chaos.)

I shall eliminate all the evil in the world. (You are one imprisoned within the cage of madness.)

I am the one who holds its chains.

You, clad in the seven heavens of the three great words, come forth from the Wheel of Restraint, guardian of the scales!"

In the basement of the Tohsaka Estate, Tokiomi Tohsaka spread his arms and declared proudly.

"We've won, Kirei. We will be the victors of this war."

Kirei and Shirou looked at each other.

Yes, Rin had won!

I, Rin Tohsaka, on the Path to Becoming a Demon God—The Prelude to the Holy Grail!

Tokiomi elegantly held a glass of red wine as he spoke to Kirei Kotomine behind him.

"Kirei, since your Servant is the Queen of Assyria, I'll leave the intelligence gathering to you. If you have the chance, have the Queen of Assyria poison those Masters to death."

Kirei placed a hand over his chest and bowed, answering in his hollow voice.

"Understood, Master."

Tokiomi Tohsaka gently swirled his wineglass, walked to the window, and gazed at the night sky before draining it in one gulp. Victory is already in my grasp.

Thus, another day passed in "peaceful, tranquil" Fuyuki City.

At dusk, an uninvited guest shattered the tranquility of Zenchou Villa in the outskirts of Fuyuki City and brought the battlefield to this place.

In the courtyard of Zenchou Villa, Rin and Sakura tightly gripped the jewels in their hands, shielding Aoi Tohsaka behind them as they nervously stared at Zouken Matou.

"Old worm, what do you want?" Rin loudly demanded, glaring at Zouken Matou, who was surrounded by a swarm of insects and preparing to attack.

"Hehehe, you're Rin Tohsaka, aren't you? You're the one who ruined Sakura Tohsaka's adoption into the Matou family, right? Since that's the case, naturally I'll take all three of you back to the Matou family. Especially you, Rin Tohsaka—you would definitely make the finest breeding vessel."

"Die!"

Rin circulated her magical energy, shattering the jewel in her hand. A Flame Sword formed from fire appeared in her grasp.

"A gift that brings pain to giants."

With a swing of Rin's arm, the Flame Sword shot away from her at high speed, flying toward Zouken Matou.

"Boom!"

The massive explosion instantly engulfed Zouken Matou.

Watching Zouken Matou be swallowed by the explosion and flames, Rin did not let down her guard. She exchanged a glance with Sakura, then extended her left hand and tightly clasped Sakura's right. A glow of magical energy burst from their joined hands, and a thick fog instantly enveloped all of Zenchou Villa.

Rin turned back to look at the nervous Aoi Tohsaka. She took off the pendant she was wearing and handed it to her.

"Mom, take this Mystic Code. It can protect you. Sakura and I will defeat that old worm and come right back."

After saying that, amid Aoi Tohsaka's instructions, Rin and Sakura plunged headfirst into the thick fog.

Aoi Tohsaka tightly gripped the jeweled pendant in her hand. Her eyes remained fixed resolutely on the fog as she began praying for her two daughters.

Once Rin and Sakura entered the fog, two witches from fairy tales appeared beside them. They gnawed on flesh-covered bones in their hands while cackling strangely.

Then a buzzing sound came from within the fog. With the fog's help, Rin and Sakura quickly sensed that a huge swarm of insects was surging toward them like ocean waves.

Rin and Sakura exchanged a glance. With a thought, the two witches, Man-eating Grandma, immediately received their command and howled as they charged toward the sea of insects.

"Sakura, why don't we just begin the plan now?"

Sakura thought for a moment, then nodded.